Purple Death
by MarauderMist99
Summary: Harry and Draco have been secretly seeing eachother for a year and are now in their sixth year. Everything is perfect but when Draco is volunteered by his father to perform an unthinkable task, everything begins to go to pot, leaving Draco with an heartwrenching choice.
1. Strange Meetings

Purple Death

Chapter One- Strange Meetings

Draco Malfoy strutted along the corridors of Hogwarts with a folded piece of parchment enclosed in one hand. He was looking for someone, straining his neck he spotted his target and a stealthily as a predatory snake he slipped over to them, passing the note into the other's hand. Harry Potter looked at the parchment and smiled.

Draco was sat under a large oak tree on the far side of the Black Lake. A pad of parchment lay on his lap, a charcoal pencil in hand. With just a few strokes he could create a world inside the paper. He looked up at the sound of crunching leaves under feet to see Harry walking towards him.

"Hey" Harry slumped down next to Draco and took the pad from him, admiring the sketch. "This is amazing D, I think it's your best yet"

"Mm" Draco cocked his head to focus on it. "I don't think the trees are quite right" He looked from the parchment to the trees across the lake and back again.

"You're too hard on yourself" The raven haired wizard pushed his blonde companion on his back and kissed him. They were so different, hair, house, personality, home life; but that is what made them such a perfect piece. Like two pieces of jigsaw you don't think should ever fit together but in the end, turn out to merge into one.

Draco's fingers slid through Harry's hair. "Hmm maybe, but then who would I have to tell me I'm brilliant?"

"I'm always gunna think you're brilliant and beautiful and bonkers" Harry laughed.

"That's rich coming from you! Bonkers I tell you! Me?" This just made Harry laugh harder, Draco shook his head in disbelief and sat up against the tree, Harry following him and pushing their lips together again, their tongues entwining, dancing, perfectly. Everything was perfect. Was.

"How's the slug club going for you?" Draco asked sarcastically, Harry elbowed him and Draco pouted. "Ow!"

"Ugh, its okay I suppose, just super awkward, no-one talks really apart from slimy-eyed-McClaggen."

"Slimy who?"

"McClaggen, its Hermione's nickname for him. He is a proper creep though" Draco nodded in agreement. "anyway, I didn't come here to talk about the Slug Club" Harry bit along Draco's jaw line and down his neck, taking in every inch of him, Draco pulled him close, running his hands down Harry's back and legs. They curled up to watch the sun sink behind the trees.

"Come on it will be curfew soon" Draco stood, holding his hand to Harry.

"Can't we just stay here?" Harry lay back down on his face.

"No, not unless you want to be locked out in November in Scotland. Harry took the outstretched hand and stood up, he hid under his invisibility cloak to prevent them from being seen together as they still hadn't broken the news to the rest of the world even though they had been together well over six months.

Harry kept tickling and jabbing Draco in the sides as they walked along the path, laughing as Draco writhed like an idiot.

"Harry, stop it! If someone sees me dancing around like a prat they'll think im pissed or something!"

The invisible wizard was in fits of laughter "Draco, you pissed would be hilarious, I can't even imagine it!"

"Seriously just stop!"

Draco felt arms round his waist and a whisper in his ear "make me". He pulled them off to the side and pulled the hood off harry and kissed him, deeper than before, holding Harry's wrists firmly against a tree trunk.

Harry smiled, satisfied. "Hmm, okay, do you want to fly tomorrow?" He whispered, his lips grazing Draco's.

"Yeah, defiantly, I'll meet you at the usual spot" Draco answered, his whole weight still against Harry and the tree. "Now come on, we are going to be locked out"

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Harry." Draco said seriously his grey eyes ploughing into Harry's soul.

"Okay I'm coming" he rolled his eyes. "Spoil sport". Draco merely laughed as they wandered back up the path to the castle, at the entrance, they went their separate ways. Harry legged it up to Gryffindor and into the common room; he was just at the stairs to the dormitories when he heard Hermione.

"Harry!" he turned slowly to face her.

"Yeah?" he knew what was coming next.

"Where have you been?" Hermione swivelled round on the sofa to face him. "Come here" Harry sheepishly shuffled to her and sat next to his friend. "You are so going out with someone!"

"No I'm not, I was just, erm, at the err, library, looking for a err"

"Book?" She offered.

"Yeah, err one of them" he avoided her eyes picking at thread in the arm of the red sofa.

"Harry, I've known you six years, I know when you are lying and I can tell when something has happened that has made you extremely happy. So who is it?"

Harry sighed "it's not anyone!"

"Look me in the eye and tell me you aren't seeing anyone. I'm not gunna judge you! When you told me you were gay last year, nothing changed, you can tell me anything, you know that"

"I know Herm, it's just, yes I am seeing someone, but we want to keep it quiet, nobody can know"

"Okay, well Harry I trust you, I just don't want to see you hurt. Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't, promise." Hermione smiled back at him and watched as he went up to the boy's dormitory. She always worried about him.

OoOOOoOO

The next day went slowly for Harry. He trailed through his lessons trying to join in with various conversations with his friends when the only thing he was focusing on was counting down the hours to dusk.

As soon as he had eaten that evening, he grabbed a jumper and his broom and ran down to meet Draco.

The Slytherin was stood with his back to the direction in which Harry was coming. So when he reached him, he walked right up to Draco and kissed his neck. "Hello"

"There you are. Are you ready?" Draco picked up his broom and kicked off, closely followed by Harry. They raced the length of the lake then back and around to the Quiditch pitch. There they played one on one snitch rallies.

Draco caught the snitch a fraction of a second before Harry came zooming up next to him and hovered.

"I win" Draco jeered in his 'I'm the best' tone. Harry shrugged and kissed him lightly.

"Imagine if I did that in a match!" he said, laughing and nearly losing balance. "Oh the newspapers" Draco cradled his head in his hand smiling at the thought.

"More like, oh Hermione. I think she would actually kill me!"

"She can try!" The Slytherin lay back on his broom gazing up at the sky. "Do you think we'll ever tell them?" he spoke quietly still looking up.

"One day yeah, once we've left school" Harry spoke just as quiet.

Draco turned his head. "Do you still see us together then?"

"Yeah I do. I can't imagine it otherwise" Harry was lying down too now.

"I love you" Draco whispered.

"I love you too D, but I really think we should get back, we've been out here nearly 3 hours"

They landed and walked hand in hand up to the castle as it was dark enough for them not to be seen.

"Harry, I don't think we are gunna be able to meet up till the weekend now"

"Okay, well we have double potions tomorrow, so I'll see you then" Harry smiled, nipped Draco's ear and turned, walking to Gryffindor.

As he was walking he heard footsteps behind him, he turned and saw Hermione coming with three big books. She gasped when she saw him, she obviously hadn't noticed him coming in which was good Harry thought. "Harry! What on earth are you doing out this late and where have you been?" she asked looking at his broom and flushed face.

"Out. Where have you been?"

"Errand for Dumbledore. You've been flying haven't you?" she pestered him for an answer.

"no..." Harry said doubtfully

"Harry. You are holding your broom. You were with this secret new boyfriend of yours weren't you" Harry rolled his eyes. "don't get me wrong! I've no problems with you dating a guy, i'm just worried that whoever you're seeing can't be good for you if you cant even tell me who it is"

'you have no idea' Harry thought, smiling mentally. "it's fine Hermione, just trust me"

By then they had reached the tower, the Fat Lady grumbled at them as the woke her up. Ron was sat in one corner of the common room, obviously waiting for them.

"hey-woah Harry your face is bright red, have you been flying?" Ron was hiding back a chuckle.

"yeah with this new boyfriend he's got himself" Hermione said with frustration.

"well, now we know he's a flyer, an blatantly not in Gryffindor." The redhead stated.

"hmm" Hermione had her detective face on.

"Hermione, don't work it out, please" Harry begged her.

"okay, at least let me get rid of your beetroot face" Harry obliged and just hoped Draco had the sense to use a charm too.

Draco had had the sense to charm away the evidence of their flying trip. He secretly smiled at Harry across the Great Hall during breakfast as they always did.

"who are you looking at?" Ginny asked, trying to follow Harry's gaze, he quickly looked back at his plate.

"no-one" he mumbled, suppressing a smile.

"Hermione" Ginny whisper-shouted across the table. "it's either a Ravenclaw or a Slytherin. Harry was eye fucking someone in that direction!"

"no I wasn't!" Harry tried and failed.

"Harry. You always sit facing that direction!" Ginny observed. Harry decided to say nothing and hoped they would get fed up of pestering him and shut up.

They continued to talk and analyse anyone in that direction. Harry just smiled and carried on eating.


	2. Potions and Punches

Chapter two- Potions and Punches

They filed into Slughorn's classroom; Harry had to hold onto several desks to stop himself from running up to Draco and hugging him. He settled for walking calmly up to their desk and dumped his bag on top, scowling at the blonde then giving him a quick smile when no-one was looking.

Luckily for them they had to work in pairs for those two hours, learning how to develop certain potions like sleeping draughts and energy enhancing potions. However neither of them were quite sure what they were supposed to be doing as they were whispering constantly the whole time.

"Hermione and Ginny are really onto us now, they've noticed I sit facing you in the hall, they've also narrowed it down to either Ravenclaw or Slytherin as the house of my secret 'friend'" Harry moaned.

Draco laughed "Don't worry, they will never guess it's me" Harry smiled and continued to chop bog root into carrot like chunks.

"I can't possibly wait till Saturday to be able to see you, I'll die" Harry's head hit the desk hard, turning a few heads.

"I know, it's killing me too, but there just isn't a free chance, Snape has me doing loads of extra for him, it's really beginning to bug me...unless" Draco trailed off.

"Unless what?" his head snapped up from the desk.

"Unless we get detention together"

"Okay, how'd we do that?"

"Err, a fight, soon, err, you punch me" Draco turned to Harry.

"D I'm not gunna punch you, don't be stupid" immediately dismissing the idea.

"No seriously, I'll retaliate or something"

"No, I'll muck up your face and I so don't want to do that"

"Oh Harry stop making a fuss, you can kiss it better later if that will settle your nerves"

Harry groaned "owh I'm gunna regret this. I'm sorry" Harry swung a punch at Draco hitting the side of his face. Draco then punched Harry in the stomach before they both whipped their wands out. The whole class were staring at them. Slughorn stormed forward and stood between them, separating the two.

"Potter! Malfoy! Detention, seven, here" he frowned at both of them. "Mr Malfoy, go to the hospital wing.

Draco picked up his bag, letting his lips brush Harry's hand which clenched the desk before he left the classroom. Eventually the class returned to its activities. Hermione kept glancing around anxiously while Harry smiled at the small victory, he now couldn't wait for detention and that was a weird thought.

Draco walked down the empty corridors to the hospital wing grinning like an idiot, which he quickly suppressed to a sly smile when he realised how stupid he must look. His nose ached and he figured it must be broken but didn't think much of it; he was more worried about whether Harry was okay.

"Mr Malfoy, what have you done now?" Madame Pomfrey ushered him into the wing and sitting him down in a chair.

"Oh, a fight" He grumbled shrugging.

"Again? Mr Potter again?" She asked as she fixed his nose in a heartbeat. Draco just nodded. "Right there you go. I don't want to see you back here any time soon, understand?" Pomfrey turned and walked back to her office. Draco stood and made his way to Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Harry walked out of potions with Hermione. "Harry are you okay?" Ron asked "Malfoy's a git, just ignore him"

Harry snorted a laugh "yeah, defiantly" Whether that was the answer to the first or second question didn't matter, Harry was relieved that he wouldn't have to wait another 3 days to see Draco.

"What even happened?" Hermione asked.

"He was just being a snarky twat, just winding me up you know, stuff like that" Harry was struggling to find an explanation for the fight; they hadn't really planned that part.

"Come on, we have a free now, I'll challenge you to a game of wizard chess" Ron asked punching Harry on the arm lightly.

"You're on".

It was 7:05 pm and Harry was running down the corridors to the dungeons in fear of being late. He burst into the classroom. "Ah Mr Potter you _have_ decided to turn up" Slughorn scowled, Draco smirked.

"Sorry sir, I lost track of the time"

"Hmm, very well. I want the two of you to clear the supplies cupboard, it shouldn't take more than three hours, enjoy, and I'll be in my office." They watched Slughorn leave and lock the door behind him, Harry turned and smiled at Draco.

"Hey" Draco said looking Harry up and down to check for any obvious injuries.

"Draco I'm fine, I'm more worried about your nose, I heard it crack"

Draco laughed. "Yup, that was a good punch. Im fine, Pomfrey fixed me up quite quickly." Harry moved closer.

"Well that's okay then" He whispered and kissed Draco lightly. Draco kissed back cupping Harry's face and pushing closer to him. Harry breathed a laugh "come on, we have to at least get started." Grey eyes followed Harry as he grabbed the first box from the cupboard. Draco stood up from the desk he was leaning on and helped clear all the larger boxes into the classroom. They sat on the floor each going through a box each and talked.

"What are you doing for Christmas?" Draco asked.

"Staying here like I always do I think, unless I go to Ron's. What about you?"

"I'm not sure, I was waiting to see what you were doing as I'm not sure whether I want to go home" Draco kept his eyes focused on the bottles he was ordering.

"How come?"

Draco shrugged "My father is bound to have Him in the house the whole time along with Bellatrix and the rest of them".

"Then stay, with me, it'll be fun" He smiled.

"I would if I could but I don't know if my father will be so allowing, he will have a house elf spy on me or something as I never want to stay at school over the holidays. He is really suspicious about that sort of stuff, well about everything, I'm never alone, he's always watching, I" Draco cut himself off.

Harry could just see by the look on Draco's face that he was afraid of his father; he took Draco's hand to stop him from ordering the vials. Draco kept ordering with his other hand, Harry took both his hands. "Draco stop." He looked at their clasped hands. "D look at me" Draco looked up. "I won't let anything happen to you, we'll get you out" Draco just shook his head; Harry had never seen him so shaken.

"No, you don't know what he's like, he-he" he bit his lip fighting back the shaking that was beginning in his hands.

"D tell me, what does he do? Draco please"

"I just can't live in fear of what he is going to do or where he is anymore"

"I know but what has he done to you? You know you can tell me anything at all"

Draco nodded and took a deep breath. "It depends on what sort of day he's had, sometimes he'll come home and just pick at me and tell me how much of a disappointment I am, but sometimes he'll storm through the door destroying everything he passes and comes up the stairs. By then I get the hell away from him, but, if he does get me, he'll take me down to the manor dungeons and take his anger out. On me." Draco closed his eyes and tried to focus on stopping shaking. Harry pulled him close; he didn't know what to say so just held him, calming him as best he could.

"Draco I'm gunna' get you out of there, I swear on my life I will get you out." Draco nodded. "Come on, let's get this finished and we can go to the Room of Requirement for a bit if you want" They finished more or less in silence and left quietly after Slughorn relived them.

They sat on the sofa in front of the fire in The Room of Requirement. "Sorry, I sort of spoiled those three hours; I never usually let things get to me like that"

"D its fine, I'm glad you told me" Harry gave him a reassuring smile and kissed him. "We can always make up for it now" he straddled the blonde who smiled, pulling his companion closer and kissing him.

"Never leave me" Draco panted.

"Never" came a whispered reply as bites found Draco's neck.

They woke up entwined on the sofa uniforms creased and ruffled. Harry was lying between Draco's legs, head on his chest. "Good morning" Harry looked up and met Draco's lips.

"The first time we slept together I thought you would have considerably less clothes on the next morning"

Harry just laughed "hmm likewise. What time is it?"

"7, we should probably get back to our dorms before breakfast"

They heaved themselves up and sorted out each other's robes. "Well I suppose I'll see you later" The Slytherin skulked out.

"See you later" Harry smiled and hurried back to Gryffindor.

He came through the portrait and was swamped by Hermione."HARRY! Where the hell have you been! We've been worried sick! We told McGonagall you were missing!"

"Oh Herm you didn't did you! I'm fine, I was fine all night!" Harry sighed slightly annoyed at her motherly worries.

Hermione dropped her voice "you were with him weren't you" Harry didn't answer "weren't you!"

"Yes! Okay I was, what's it to you Hermione! Im fine! You're not my mother!"

"But I'm your friend and I want to help you" She whispered a sob nearly becoming clear.

"I know Herm, I've just got a lot to think about right now, don't worry about me" He hugged her tightly. "Come on, I'm hungry, plus Ron looks like he's going to eat the sofa arm if we don't go soon!" They looked across at Ron who had a pained look on his face as he always did when he hadn't eaten for more than six hours.


	3. Sticks and Stones

I want to thank everyone following this story and i would love it if you guys review it! Thanks

MMxx

Chapter Three- Sticks and Stones

It was the 2nd of December, snow was beginning to fall heavily coating the magnificent castle in a white sheet and it looked like an icing sugar-covered gingerbread castle. The Gryffindor Quiditch team were in the changing rooms listening to Harry prepare them for the match, he was talking tactics, making sure everyone had gloves and goggles and making sure everyone was ready. The canon sounded and they all flew out onto the speckled pitch. In the snow you could make out the outlines of green and red robes as Slytherin and Gryffindor took their places for the start of the match.

Harry looked across at Draco and raised his eyebrows in a challenging manner. Draco just laughed and shook his head. They heard the whistle and the game began.

Gryffindor scored straight away, then again, Slytherin quickly equalising. Half an hour in the reds were winning 90-30 and the snakes were beginning to get annoyed as they were fouling more and more; one of their beaters even knocked out a Gryffindor chaser after he scored sending him plummeting to the ground.

Eventually Harry caught sight of the snitch, weaving between brooms and bludgers he snatched it and descended to the ground, the stands rumbling with applause.

After the match Harry was walking back to the castle with Ron and Hermione.

"Gryffindor wiped the floor with that match!" Ron jeered as Malfoy and the Slytherin beaters walked past.

"The game was obviously fixed!" Malfoy spat, his forehead crumpled into a scowl that would warn off a beast.

Hermione folded her arms and smirked "Actually Malfoy Gryffindor played remarkably, Slytherin were lacking in tactics and teamwork, you just can't face the fact that Harry is a better seeker than you"

Malfoy turned to Hermione and fiercely shouted "Shut up! What would you know, you're nothing but a mudblood scum" His eyes widened as soon as the words left his mouth. Harry stormed forward but Ron and Ritchie Coote (a beater) held him back, he was fuming, struggling to be released so he could spring on the snake and really give him what was coming.

Hermione hadn't moved, she tensed, fluttering her eyelashes to stop the flow of tears. Ginny put and arm round her and led her back to the common room.

Harry didn't change he stormed immediately to the Room of Requirement to see that Draco was already there, he raged through the doors and got hold on Draco's robes lifting him slightly. "YOU SCUM, YOU BLOODY NASTY GIT! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ON? YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS TO ME!" he released him. "Call me what you want Malfoy but the leave my friends the hell out! Whatever you're cross with me for, take it out on me and by no means my friends."

"Harry-" Draco tried.

"I don't want to listen to anything YOU have to say. We are done, and I mean us. We are done"

"Harry doesn't, I'm sorry!"

"Whatever. Bye Malfoy." Harry turned and left, leaving Draco stood in the middle of the room breaking down, kneeling with his head on the hard stone cold floor of the enormous duelling hall created out of need.

OOoOOoOO

It had nearly been a week since the break up and Harry had hardly said a word to anyone since. As for Draco he hadn't shown up for a couple of days and only arrived after lunch that afternoon. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sat in the Gryffindor common room, the boys on a sofa and Hermione in the armchair with an extremely old book. She looked up at Harry who was protectively curled up staring into the fire.

"Okay. Spill, come on I know there's something up!" She slammed the book close and sat up attentively. Ron swivelled so he was facing Harry.

"C'mon mate you know you can tell us anything"

Harry said nothing.

"Harry we are trying to help you" Hermione knelt in front of him and took his hand, he looked down at her. "Harry?"

Harry shook his head, biting back tears and ran up to his dormitory, slamming the door and crawling under the covers before he let the waterworks flow.

Draco sat on the edge of his bunk, looking down at the floor, thinking. He had been thinking for a while now, the specific amount of time he did not know but he had a lot to think about. After giving himself one more mental pep talk, he stood up, pulled on his robes and left the dormitory heading for the library.

"Harry! Harry! Wake up; you'll never guess what just happened?" Hermione shook the raven haired wizard within an inch of his life.

"What... Hermione! What? This is the boy's dormitory! You can't come in here!"

She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed his shoulders. "I don't care just listen. Draco Malfoy just apologised to me!"

Harry eyes widened and he sat up reaching for his glasses. "He what?" words wouldn't come with ease.

"Yeah, I mean I was just in the library and he just came in and said it, privately where no one would ever know but still!"

Harry just sat in ore, trying not to let slip any emotion. "Probably some weird ulterior motive though" He forced himself to lie back down and appear uninterested and unchanged. As soon as Hermione was out of the room he leaped up pulling on his robes and grabbing his invisibility cloak for safe measure. Then he crept out of Gryffindor tower and in search of the Room of Requirement.

He pushed the heavy doors slowly open and slipped in. A blonde haired figure turned to look at him but didn't move. Harry stopped abruptly and dropped the invisibility cloak to the side of him. There was an awkward undisturbed silence.

"Hello" Harry choked in a half whisper.

"Hello" came the reply.

Another pause.

"You apologised to Hermione" Harry moved so he stood a metre from the blonde.

"Yeah, I did"

Silence.

"Why" Was all that came from Harry.

"Because I shouldn't have called her that, it was completely out of order."

"But did you mean it, or was it just so we would maybe get back together" Harry said bluntly folding his arms loosely across his chest trying to hide his anxiety.

"Because I meant it. I promise. If we don't get back together now sure I'd be upset but I'd know I did right to make peace, it's your choice, and I was in the wrong I-" Harry stepped forward and kissed Draco cutting him off. Draco relaxed into the familiar kiss, snaking his arms around Harry's waist, pulling him close to his chest.

They broke off and looked at each other. "Are we good?" Draco asked.

"We're good" Harry laughed, kissing him again.

"there's a Hogsmede weekend this week" Draco raised his eyebrows "do you want to stay in here all day?"

Laughing, Harry nodded and nuzzled his head into Draco's neck.


	4. A Day of Secrets

Hey there Potterheads MM here! This is the last chapter I will be posting until after Easter I think because I have exams! Ahhhhhhhhh! Hope you are enjoying the story, please review they mean a lot to me! Xxx

MM

Chapter Four- A Day of Secrets

"Hey Harry come on, Hogsmede!" Ron shook his best friend awake.

"Actually Ron, I don't feel too well, you and Hermione go, im going to stay here and study a bit." He rolled over and pulled the duvet over his head.

"Okay, suit yourself but im going; I need to stack up on supplies. Honeydukes won't know what's hit them!" Ron grabbed his bag and lolloped down the stairs. Checking that he was gone, Harry quickly got changed into jeans and a newly fitting T-shirt Molly had bought him for his birthday, he hadn't of yet had time to wear it. Taking various things that could make him appear like he was studying all day, he made his way down to the library to meet Draco.

Draco was sat at a desk toward the back corner of the library; Harry came up behind him and kissed his neck. "What are you doing someone could see us!"

"And a very good morning to you too!" Harry sat down next to him.

"Sorry. Hello, how are you this morning, I like your top, very snazzy"

Harry hit his hand on his face. "D don't say that" he smirked.

"What?"

"Snazzy. Just no."

"Fuck off" Harry laughed and kissed him. A gasp came from behind them. "Pansy!" Draco yelled, but quickly dropped his voice "What the bloody hell are you doing here!" He grabbed her by her robes.

"Looking for you, but I can see you are occupied. Wait till the rest of Slytherin hears this!" She giggled maliciously.

"Don't you dare, or I swear I will kill you!" his grip tightened, Harry sat in silence. Pansy shrugged her shoulders in an annoying childlike way. "I can't trust you, right stand up; you are going to make the unbreakable vow"

"What the! No way Draco, this is too good to keep quiet about" He grabbed her arm, grasping her hand.

"Harry, you cast it"

Pansy fluttered her eyelashes "Yeah Harry. Do it!" Draco pinched her arm and she squeaked.

"Okay" He took out his wand, touching it to their hands. "Do you Pansy Parkinson promise to confide in no-one of the events in this library this morning?"

Nothing, until reluctantly she said "I do" she rolled her eyes and huffed at Draco. Harry lowered his wand and pansy stormed out of the library without a second glance. He looked at Draco sighed in relief "oh my goodness that was so close"

"Close! She knows! Ugh, I hate her sometimes!"

"Yes, but she can't tell anyone can she!" Harry knelt down in front of his companion and held both his hands. "come on, don't let her spoil our day, come on" He stood and pulled Draco by his hands out of the library, picking up his invisibility cloak and carefully draping it over himself with one hand still clasping Draco's as they walked.

They pushed open the old wooden doors to the Room of Requirement and slipped inside. The room now consisted of a bathroom, a sofa and roaring fire and a double bed towards the back of the room. Harry pulled off the cloak dropping it to the ground and pulled Draco to face him and kissed him, entwining their tongues and searching every crevice of each other's mouths, each one trying to get further inside the other.

"Are you ready?" Draco asked his lips touching Harry's as he spoke.

Harry breathed "yes" They moved toward the bed bodies never parting more than a couple of centimetres. Clothes were off in minutes and they climbed under the covers.

They lay side by side, duvet covering waist down. Harry searched up and down Draco's chest and spotting several red circles on his neck. He traced them with his finger and laughed. "We've got to be more careful where we place these."

"It's worse for you, there's one on your jaw line by your ear" Draco pointed it out and they laughed even more.

"Great, what an interesting conversation with Hermione that is going to be!"

"Hmm, let's not think about that right now" the blonde shifted and straddled Harry kissing him again and again, slower and deeper every time.

"I love you" Harry whispered.

"I love you too"

They wrapped themselves in the duvet and fell asleep by the fire on one of the plush sofas. Draco shifted causing Harry to stir "what time is it?" he pulled the duvet up around his neck.

"5:00pm" They both smiled at the fact that they were probably being thoroughly searched for.

"Let them worry, I'm happy here"

"Mmm, me too" They lay there for another hour before deciding that they should really get a move on, plus they were both hungry.

Harry left first and walked into the great hall, sitting down next to Hermione who turned to him with a frown. "Where have you been? Ron said you didn't feel well so were going to stay in bed, and guess what? You didn't so-" she paused, realising Harry wasn't listening but smiling to himself. "What?"

Harry shook his head in refusal to tell her anything. "What have you been doing all day" This made Harry laugh and choke on a piece of broccoli. Hermione cocked her head, looking at his neck. "Harry, what is that?"

"What, nothing, nothing" Harry shrugged his neck into his hoodie hiding his jaw line as best he could.

He looked across at Draco who had obviously noticed this occurrence and was in silent hysterics as Harry shortened his neck more and more.

"Later Hermione, ask me later!" Harry shook his head and mouth to Draco "buger off" he winked and then looked down at his plate, finishing the remainder of his dinner before heading back to the common room with Hermione, Ron and Ginny.

As soon as he had passed through the portrait Ginny tackled him to the floor and pinned his arms down as Hermione peeled back his collar. "Ron! Aren't you going to help me?"

Ron stood laughing "you seem to have the situation under control!"

"Aha! I thought so! It's a love bite!" Ginny squealed, laughing. "Wait" she counted "six! Who has six love bites?"

"Harry obviously" Ron smirked.

"Not helpful Ron!" Harry struggled.

"So that's what you've been doing all day! Shagging your boyfriend!" The bushy haired witch laughed.

"Well..." Harry tried.

Hermione gasped "oh my goodness, you did sleep with him!" Ginny wiped her eyes from tears of laughter.

They eventually let him up and they sat on one sofa in the corner of the common room, Ron had gone to bed. "So..." Ginny nudged Harry.

"What?"

"How was it?" She raised her eyebrows at him a couple of times.

"How was wha- oh, that. Erm, I don't know, good?" Harry scratched his head, slightly uncomfortable sharing his sex life with Hermione and Ginny.

"I mean, obviously its different for two guys..." She pointed out.

"Ginny!" He exclaimed wide eyed. Hermione burst out laughing.

"Fair question. Was it the first time for both of you, or is he more, educated?" Hermione asked.

He just stared at her before answering. "First for both of us".

"Awh! Our little Harry is growing up!" Ginny hugged him, beaming.

"Right, okay, conversation over, goodnight!" he smiled at them over his shoulder and went up to the boy's dormitory.

Hermione and Ginny looked each other and smiled. "Do you think he's safe Gin?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah why?"

"I mean, with this guy, he can't even tell us who he is"

"Maybe he won't tell us because we'll make fun of him whoever it is."

"Hmm, maybe, I hope that's the reason."

"I can't believe they had sex though! I always thought Harry was the type of guy who'd wait. Obviously not!" she laughed "little slut"

This made them both chuckle.

Harry went to bed with a smile on his face that night. He had had the perfect day with the best guy in the world in his eyes and had the full support of his friends however awkward they make it.

Draco walked into the Slytherin common room with Pansy close on his tail. He sat down on one of the black leather chairs. "So can I talk to you about, you know, without breaking the, you know" she over cautiously chose her words.

"Yes Pansy" Draco spoke in a monotone; she was beginning to drive him crazy.

"How did you even consider getting within 10 feet of Potter?" She spat his name with such hate it made Draco wince.

"Shut up Pansy. Just leave me alone, it's my life. Im going to bed." He stood up and stormed upstairs, his mood lightening as he thought of the day's events.


	5. One Word Too Many

Chapter five-One word too many

It was a week before Hogwarts broke up for the Christmas holidays and the school was alive with excitement. Decorations filled the corridors and students ran around hiding presents in each other's dorms with a large amount of failed secrecy.

Harry was walking to Defence against the Dark Arts with Hermione and Ron. Ron was moaning in advance for the jumper his mum would send him for Christmas. "It'll probably be red, with some hideous other colour sewn into it. She'll make sure the wool is the itchiest she can find; I bet she does that on purpose, it..." Ron carried on walking but Harry zoned out when his eye caught sight of a familiar blonde walking toward him. He bumped into Harry hard and whispered in his ear 'Room of Requirement, now'. Hermione turned to Harry.

"Are you okay?" she scowled in Draco's direction.

"Yeah I'm fine" Harry answered thinking of a way to escape from her.

"Lousy git." Ron muttered. Both Harry and Hermione were glad something had stopped Ron from talking about the awful sweater he would surely be sent for Christmas.

"I think I left my book in the common room, I'll catch you up!" Harry said quickly.

"Harry you are hopeless, hurry up or Snape will have you in detention for a month.

Harry turned and hurried back down the corridor to the common room to pick up Draco's Christmas present and not the book Hermione thought he was collecting before running off to find the all familiar door. Looking round briefly, he slipped inside. Draco was waiting, stood by the fire; he turned at the sound of the door and smiled. "Hey Tat-head" he laughed "did you even brush your hair this morning Harry?"

Harry frowned "yes, as a matter of fact I did!"

"Not very well obviously!" Draco ran his fingers through Harry's hair, trying to arrange it in some presentable manner, Harry watched him fixated on the concentrating grey eyes. "There, it looks mildly better" He looked at Harry, from his green eyes to his lips and kissed him, softly at first but as Harry deepened it, so did he.

"Why else did you want me, if not just to play with my hair?" Harry asked.

Draco led him to the black squashy sofa that sat by the fire. "I thought we could do Christmas presents as I have to go home this holiday and I don't know when we are going to meet up again."

"It's a good job I bought yours then isn't it!" Harry laughed. He pulled out the package from his bag and held it in his lap. "I really hope you like it, I wasn't sure". Harry handed it over and Draco smiled cautiously.

"It's not going to jump out and bite me is it?" Harry shook his head. The Slytherin peeled back the brown paper, a green and silver scarf was neatly folded inside. Inside the green were single threads of red, woven in so as from a distance it would not be noticed, only if someone were to look at it closely would they see the colour. Draco took it out and smiled, wrapping it around his neck.

"Do you like it?"

"Harry, I love it, its amazing thank you!" He kissed and hugged him tightly. "Right your turn!" Draco pulled out a smaller, more solid parcel and handed it to Harry who gave him a questioning look.

Harry ripped the paper off and pulled the lid off the box; inside was a silver pocket watch. "it can send messages, you just press down on the place where the hands join and think of the message you want to send, it will come through on the face of the clock, you then press down on this, that joins it to the chain and that sends it to the corresponding watch, which is mine" Draco smiled "so you can message me all holiday without worrying your arse off"

Harry laughed "thank you, this has set me slightly more at ease. Now let's make the most of bunking off this lesson" Harry crawled and sat on Draco, his legs either side of Draco's hips, leaning back on the blondes legs. Draco ran Harry's tie through his fingers then pulled it making Harry lean toward him, their lips crashing together, Harry's mouth opened slightly and Draco took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside. Harry pulled Draco's shirt from his trousers and slid his hand under the cotton.

Draco moaned "not today Harry, we don't have time" He smiled and Harry sighed letting his full weight drop fully on the blonde wizard. Harry kissed him lightly, then again deeper.

"Draco?" he asked, his companion looked up in reply. "I love you" Draco smiled almost in relief as if they had just jumped a canyon.

He moved so his mouth was millimetres from Harry's ear "I love you too".

They lay there, embracing each other before reluctantly standing to tidy themselves up and leave for their next lesson. As Draco tucked his shirt in he felt the pocket watch in his pocket heat up, he reached for it and looked at the face then looked at Harry who was laughing. "Harry!"

"What?" Harry was desperately trying to control his laughter.

"You can't send things like that!" Draco was mildly embarrassed.

"Like what?" He raised his eyebrows, nudging Draco to elaborate on this subject.

"ugh don't worry" Draco was smiling as he tucked the remainder of his shirt in, Harry, smirking hugged Draco from behind, kissing his neck.

"It's so cute that you can't talk about those sorts of things" he breathed along the crease of Draco's neck.

"Hmm, we need to go to Potions" laughing, Harry followed him out the door and quickly moved away as not to cause suspicion.

As he closely shadowed Draco to potions he heard a dreadfully familiar voice yelling at him. It was Hermione. "HARRY! HARRY! Where the hell have you been?" he rolled his eyes "you missed the whole lesson! Snape is furious; we were worried something had happened to you!"

"Hermione just shut up one second. I am fine. Wow I bunked off one lesson to be with the one person who actually makes me happy. What are you going to do Hermione really? Tell Dumbledore? I'm sorry im just sick of it, I can't take it. He has to go back to some of the worst people I know because he's too scared to stay; do you know how that makes me feel? To have to wait here not knowing what is being done to him?" Harry had veered off into an empty classroom and was sat on a stool, head in hands. Hermione kneeled next to him and took his hands.

"Harry im sorry, I had no idea, is there anything I can do?" she looked at him in concern.

He shook his head "no, it just kills me, 'cause I love him, so much" Harry inhaled a short sob.

"Oh Harry, my dear Harry. You have too much love my friend, seeing those around you suffer and not thinking once about how much you suffer. If you told me who it is maybe I can help" Harry shook his head.

"No, you can't Hermione. It's fine. I'm fine" he sniffed and picked himself up. "Come on, potions".

Harry was good at masking his emotions, to a point, but when he cracked it was there for the world to see.

OOoOOOoOo

Draco pulled his trunk along the corridor to the entrance hall where filch would take it to the train. The pocket watch warmed in his pocket. Pausing, he took it out and read the message 'wait'. He turned to see Harry running down the corridor and slipped into an empty classroom.

"You weren't going without saying goodbye were you?" Harry kissed him, biting Draco's lower lip.

"Of course not!" he smiled back "look, I've got to go, I'll keep in touch"

"You better"

"I love you!" Draco called.

"Love you too" came quietly so only Harry and the other occupant of the room could hear it...


	6. Loyalties and Treacharies

**Hey! **

**Guys im sorry for not posting a chapter for AGES stupid bloomin' exams! Well, I've written a long one that will keep you going!**

**Apologies for the angst, it's going to be on and off trauma till near the end! Don't worry, it's going to be okay, you can stop hyperventilating now!**

**Thanks as always!**

**Reviews and comments always welcome; good or bad, im up for improvements!**

**If you spot any mistakes please let me know!**

**Thanks to y'all!**

**MM**

**xx**

Chapter Six- Loyalties and Treacheries

Harry sat down on one of the stools as he listened to Draco's footsteps disappear down the hallway. He jumped at the voice: "well that was interesting". He spun round, wand out, to see Ginny standing with her arms folded.

"Ginny! What the fuck are you doing in here?" He yelled, quickly dropping his voice as not to draw any possible attention.

"Minding my own business until you come in and start eating Draco Malfoy's face!" Ginny spat, in a shouted whisper.

Harry looked up and spoke quieter "I wasn't eating his face..."

"Hmm looked pretty intense. So its Malfoy then is it, that's why you wouldn't tell us"

Harry nodded. "I knew if I told you, all of you would flip out at me!"

"I wonder why! His dad is a bloody death eater!"

"But he isn't!" Harry shouted. There was a moment of silence before Ginny sighed.

"Harry, you don't know that. He could be using you-"

"No Ginny! He isn't! I know him!"

"You think you know him Harry, but he's a Malfoy"

"For goodness sake Ginny leaves me alone! You and Hermione act like my personal babysitters! Constantly telling me what to do! Just fuck off and don't tell anyone about this!" he closed his eyes "I'm sorry Gin" She hugged him. "Please, we aren't ready for people to know yet. Please, for me don't tell anyone"

Reluctantly Ginny agreed and hugged him close. "Thank you".

OOoooOOoO

Draco sat on his own for the whole train journey contemplating how he would spend his miserable Christmas. He felt the pocket watch heat up and whipped it out of jacket to read the message.

'Ginny knows, but's okay she won't tell X'

Draco's eyes widened slightly and typed back 'How? Unbreakable vow? X'

He waited for the warmth he was beginning to become so dependent on. 'She was in the classroom we were in and no luckily im not as sincere as you X'

Draco laughed 'I try my best! Xx'

'I've got to go, love you xx'

'Love you too xx' Draco tucked the watch back into the inside pocket of his jacket and brought his knees up to his chest in a very 'un-Malfoy way' and smiled at the thought of his mothers face to see him sitting like such a slob. He eventually nodded off and was awoken when the train drew to a halt at Kings Cross.

He heaved himself up and literally pushed his mind down the corridor to collect his trunk and meet his father who was as always grimacing at any non-pureblood that past him, holding his nose in disgust. Draco rolled his eyes as he approached and managed a half smile greeting.

"For Pete's sake hurry up Draco! I can't stand it here!" He grabbed the young Malfoy and they disapperated.

When they arrived at the manor Narcissa came out and hugged her son close kissing him on each cheek "welcome home love. Migwig!" a small house elf appeared "Take these to Master Malfoy's quarters and unpack them" the creature nodded and disappeared with the enormous trunk.

"Now Draco" Lucius spoke sternly "we will have guests tomorrow. Keep out the way and stay quiet, I don't want an excuse for a son ruining this opportunity."

Draco simply nodded and followed his parents into the gloomy building clutching the pocket watch closely.

Draco had managed to stay clear of the guests for a week now and was beginning to think he had got away with it this time. He and Harry had kept in touch the whole time, having lengthy conversations at least three times a day.

However one afternoon a house elf came into Draco's study and squeaked "Master Malfoy had been summoned in the dining room sir" and disappeared just as quickly. Draco swallowed in anticipation and hurried his way downstairs as he assumed they did not want to be kept waiting. He stood outside the big doors and wiped his palms on his trousers then knocked.

"Enter" an unfamiliar voice answered.

Draco moved into the room to see the long table full both sides with various Deatheaters. A cold sensation came over him as he met and quickly avoided the eyes of the occupant at the head of the table. The eyes of Voldemort.

"Ah!" the snake-like man cried "Young Malfoy. Come, come." He gestured for Draco to sit down at the only empty seat next to his father and crazy Aunt Bellatrix who smelt him as he sat down. "Young Malfoy, Lucius has informed me that you will become of age in June" Draco managed to nod, avoiding the piercing eyes. "Good! Well I have decided that I want you to join us in our ranks" Draco's head darted up and stared at the almost green wizard. "A deatheater, a true wizard. What do you say?" he smiled a creepy nasty smile.

"No." Draco did not hesitate. There was a gasp throughout the Deatheaters.

"What?" Voldemort moved closer as if he did not quite hear him.

"I will not join you 'ranks'" he stood up to leave but Lucius grabbed his shirt and stood too whispering in Draco's ear.

"Now, don't be a fool boy".

"Yes Draco, don't be foolish, join us" Voldemort stood arms outstretched but not in a welcoming way.

Draco simply shook his head "Never" he said. "I'd rather die"

Voldemort's eyes narrowed "Crucio!" Draco dropped, writhing in pain, his back arching from the floor screams emerging from him which shook the building. Bellatrix laughed and smiled in fascination.

Voldemort stopped "Join us Draco"

Panting on the cold wooden floor, the blonde managed another "no." He flinched as the Dark lord stiffened, raising his wand.

"Why not?" he asked, cocking his head to one side. "Your whole family are Deatheaters, why be the weak link?"

"I have something better to live for" Draco half spoke and clutched his chest.

You could say Voldemort genuinely laughed at that statement. "And what would that be?" he looked at Draco's face, into his eyes. "oh." He whispered "it's not _something _it's _someone_" Voldemort jeered, Draco avoided the eye contact.

Lucius pulled him to his feet and whispered "what are you playing at?" Draco said nothing so his father announced to the room "he's a queer, one of the many things that are wrong with him"

Voldemort laughed again excitedly. "Elaborate Draco, do tell, or do I have to force you?" Draco stared blankly at the snake. "Legilimens!"

Draco was ready and managed to block Voldemort as much as he could, harry had taught him last year, at that moment he let the smallest thing slip through to the intruder, a small but enormous clue for him.

The colour red.

"No." Voldemort face crept into a sly smile "it's not..." he laughed "oh this is too good!"

Draco closed his eyes in realisation and knew what was coming, he hoped he would wake up and this is a dream, but he had a feeling this was as real as it would get.

"Harry Potter" Voldemort barely spoke, then louder "Harry Potter!"

Lucius tensed in rage and embarrassment, and then had a malicious idea. "Draco, will bring him to you, lure him to the manor"

"NO!" Draco shouted

They ignored Draco and Lucius continued "then we could administer it to him and you could regain your full power with Potter dead before you've begun"

"NO!" Draco shouted again "I'll do anything as long as you leave him out of it!"

Voldemort laughed "even join my ranks?" Draco nodded. "Ah the strong tie of love. Didn't do Potter's mother any good did it?"

Draco stiffened in anger.

"Didn't like that did you? Blimey, we really do have a love bird in the house" Voldemort sounded almost sarcastic.

He turned to Lucius "no, I want to kill Potter at my full strength. Now we know where master Malfoy's loyalties lie"

"He can take it, and then he'll know he has helped you kill the Potter boy!" Lucius suggested.

"Yes, he can indeed" Voldemort agreed.

"Draco is of no other use to me now" the older Malfoy stated. Voldemort pulled out a vial of purple liquid and explained the task.

OoooOOooO

Voldemort dismissed them all. Lucius dragged Draco down flights of stone stairs to the dungeons and hits him across the head with his cane. "Potter! What the hell were you thinking!" another blow "you disgrace me! How dare you walk into my house after you've shagged such a low life as that?"

"He's a better person than you'll ever be!" Draco shouted. His father pounded him in the stomach causing Draco to crumple to the floor.

"you don't deserve my mercy" He took out his wand and moved Draco across the room, slamming him into the wall, handcuffs holding his arms in a V shape above him, his feet off the floor. Draco winced as bruised muscles stretched.

"CRUCIO" Lucius screamed. Draco's body writhed like a fish out of water, he screamed and choked, coughing up blood and slamming his head back on the wall turning half of his hair red.

Lucius stopped and the boy went limp, but managed to look his father in the eye. The older wizard moved over to a table with an assortment of things and picked up a long iron rod with what seemed to Draco like a wiggle on the end. Lucius set a fire in the Furness in the corner and put the iron rod inside.

Taking it out of the hot coals he whispered a charm which changed the wiggle on the end. He walked meaningfully toward Draco's right arm, on the inside between his wrist and his elbow and plunged the burning metal into the pale flesh. A scream emerged from the boy's already hoarse throat but Lucius kept pushing.

He eventually took it off and Draco groaned in pain and tried to look at his arm with no luck. Lucius pointed his wand to the shackles which released Draco who crumpled to the ground motionless. His father turned and left the dungeon locking the door as he went out.

The blonde wizard whimpered and read what had been burned into his arm: the word 'Traitor' was etched into his skin in a red, blistered patch on his arm. Draco was ready to die right then and there, freezing and shaking with agony when he felt warmth in his pocket. He pulled out the watch with his good hand and looked at the face. 'D are you okay, I haven't heard from you all day x'. Draco debated explaining the whole ordeal but settled with 'Sorry, busy day, I'm fine, don't worry 'bout me x'.

He heard the click of the lock in the doorway and two house elves pottered into the cold room, one carrying a blanket, the other a bale of straw from the barn. "Mr Malfoy says that Master Malfoy is to remain here for the remainder of the holiday". The little creature handed Draco the supplies and hurried back to the top of the dungeon stairs and came back down with a glass of water and a loaf of bread. "I am sorry sir, but this is all Migwig could scavenge, Mr Malfoy is insisting Master Malfoy is to be living on water but Migwig could not let that be so sir so Migwig found a loaf for Master Malfoy" Migwig fidgeted unnervingly.

Usually Draco would have sent the house elf of with a wave of his hand but he could now see they were the same, both prisoners trapped in a house of gloom and horror, so he simply said "Thank You".

The house elf smiled uneasily and ran out, locking the door behind him.

Draco drank and ate avoiding looking at the state of his arm then collapsed onto the straw and slept uneasily.

OooOoOoOO

The week Draco spent in the Malfoy manor dungeons were the worst, he was getting much weaker and his brand had become infected. With only the few scraps Migwig could scavenge he was starving and wasn't able to stay conscious for long periods of time. He talked to Harry a lot, but never mentioned what happened, the Gryffindor was the only thing that kept him going, kept him trudging through.

A day before he was due to go to Hogwarts Narcissa came down and collected her son, welling up at the state of him, she led him upstairs where she had run a bath and left clean clothes and a meal on the side, she smiled and left him to it. The blonde shovelled down the steaming food and slipped into the bath, desperately trying to rid himself of all the dirt that engulfed him.

Getting changed was the worst thing as every part of his body hurt and he was sure his wrist was broken. He had bruises everywhere and a nasty scab on the back of his head. The clothes he had worn in the dungeon were beyond repair, so he threw them away and he made his way back to his chambers and slept when he saw that Migwig had kindly packed his entire trunk for him.

OOooOOoOO

Draco was sat on the train as he replayed in his head his father's words on the way to the station 'you know what you have to do, so do it, without fail, do not embarrass me again, do you understand? Do not fail.'

He closed his eyes and thought; over and over he wondered what on earth he was going to do, how he could do it and why. Why it had to be him, why he had accepted, why hadn't he just died with dignity, he thought of Pettigrew and gulped, was he becoming him? Do whatever he was told in case of the outcome. No, he was better than that. Draco nodded to himself and thought no more of the issue till he reached Scotland.

The Slytherin dropped off his bags and immediately went to the Room of Requirement where he knew Harry would be. As soon as he went through the door a mass of red, gold and black flew at him, embracing and kissing him. Draco kissed back, he felt comforted, the familiar lips against his, protected somehow by Harry, which he thought was wrong because from then on it was Harry who needed protecting.

"I missed you so much!" Harry exclaimed.

"I missed you too, what have you been up to?" Draco asked but Harry didn't answer, he was just studying Draco critically.

"D have you been on a massive diet or something, you are at least two sizes smaller"

Draco started to panic; he didn't want Harry to know. "No, im the same as I was"

Harry looked up at Draco, properly looked at him "you have, I can see it in your face, is that a bruise?" Harry traced round Draco's eye who flinched away.

"Yeah I err ran into the door" Draco's eyes shifted as he lied.

"No you didn't, I know when you're lying and injured and right now you're both. Please you can tell me anything, what the hell happened?"

Draco moved away "Nothing Harry, im fine, honestly, Draco was getting stressed out and the room began to spin, he steadied himself on the sofa before collapsing into a sitting position on the floor.

"You are not fine, let me see." Harry searched Draco, undoing his shirt slowly and gasping at the state of him. Purple patches covered Draco's chest and neck, red scorch marks and sores covered his wrists.

Harry took Draco's wrist in his hand causing the blonde to cry out. "Fuck Draco, what happened? You wrist is broken, how long has it been like this?"

Draco decided he couldn't lie anymore "a week and a half"

"WHAT!" Harry exploded. "How did this happen?"

"My father was teaching me a lesson"

"A lesson! A lesson on what, best ways to torture someone?" the raven hair wizard was sick with worry and anger. "D why didn't you help me I could've helped you"

"No, you couldn't. You have no idea."

"Then tell me"

Draco shook his head "I can't im sorry, I just can't".

"then let me heal you" Draco obliged and Harry slowly but efficiently mended the demoralized wizard, reliving him of the exterior pain as no one could help with the interior damage that had been done, that was still gnawing away at Draco's very being.

When Harry moved to pull of Draco's sleeve to check for wounds on his arm the blonde wizard stopped him. "My arms are fine, it's just my wrist" he definatly did nt want Harry to see he scorch mark. Harry nodded and took Draco's right wrist in his lap and mended it using the healing spells Hermione had shown him last year after Sirius had died to try and keep Harry's mind off it.

"Thank you" Draco whispered and kissed Harry.

"You do realise that now I will never leave you side ever again, you're stuck with me now"

This made Draco smile "I don't mind".

They sat there, quite content for the rest of the evening, each one drowning in the comfort and sense of safety of the other.


	7. Don't Worry 'bout me

**Hey guys!**

**So yet again sorry it's so late, bloomin exams! On the 19****th**** of June i will be freeeeee like Dobby, i might include him in this actually...**

**Sorry, off subject, anyways, hope you like it.**

**Apologies for angst, WILL END WELL**

**Please review, all comments are welcome, im always up for improvements!**

**Love you guys**

**As always, rights to Queen J K Rowling**

**Adios!**

**MM**

**xxx**

Chapter seven-Don't worry 'bout me

Draco sat on the edge of his bed in the Slytherin dormitory; he took off his school shirt and inspected the brand. The letters were scorched red and all around the wound was green and purple as it had managed to become infected whilst he was in the dungeons. He winced, looking away. In the end he concluded to just bandage it up as tightly as he could bear and tried to forget about it, he wasn't one to make a fuss. Laying his arm carefully across his chest he tried to sleep with little success. His mind kept repeating the events of the day he met Voldemort and the assignment he now had to undertake, the choice _he_ had to make, a choice of who would live and who would die.

Harry was sprawled out on his bed in Gryffindor, his left leg hanging lifelessly off the side of the wooden frame. He too was without rest. He thought how awful it must be to live in Malfoy Manor, so much worse than any amount of time he spent with the Dursleys, they were saints compared to Lucius Malfoy, well maybe not saints, more like normal people, who _don't _lock their nephews in cupboards... He sighed and rolled over; drawing the cover up around his neck as he remembered the bruises and wounds that covered Draco. Harry wished he could help, he wished he could take Draco away from his family forever and keep him to himself, however selfish it sounded.

The next day Harry, Ginny and Ron headed over to Quiditch practice, they walked almost silently which was unusual. "Harry are you okay?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, fine" he tried to smile but it quickly vanished.

"You look knackered mate" Ron looked over at his friend.

"I'm fine guys, honestly, come on we're going to be late" Harry picked up the pace and walked slightly ahead. Ron and Ginny exchanged a concerned glance.

Once everyone was warmed up and playing a team building exercise Ginny flew over to Harry and asked him bluntly "okay, I know there's something wrong and I'm pretty sure I know it's about Draco so come on, what is it?"

"I can't tell you Gin, I wish I could but I can't"

Ginny smiled "bedroom issues..."

"NO!" Harry laughed and pushed Ginny so she did a 360 degree turn on her broom and came back upright.

"So you really can't tell me" she sighed.

"No" Harry looked down and traced the inscription on his broom as a distraction of thought.

OooOooOOoOoO

Later that day Slughorn had got them making organic Whip-skin potions as they were studying cures and remedies. Draco was brewing the potion and Harry was doing what he was told, as per usual as he didn't have a very good history with potions as most of them ended with an explosion.

"Crush those" Draco indicated to a pot of large seeds.

Harry took the pot and poured the contents onto the table

"no Potter don't-" Draco tried but it was too late, the seeds hit the desk and started whizzing in all directions breaking glasses, knocking over potions and gliding past Slughorn's nose quite spectacularly.

All the girls began to scream and bat the seeds with books, well apart from Hermione who raised her wand and shouted an incantation which caused all the seeds to drop to the floor.

"Thank you Miss Granger" Slughorn panted "now, whose mess is this?"

Harry slowly raised his hand and shrugged apologetically.

"Right Mr Potter you can stay and clear this up this evening" Slughorn saw Draco sneer. "So can you Mr Malfoy".

"What!" Draco exclaimed a look of horror on his face, which was entirely forced; he was delighted to have a couple of extra hours with Harry.

"That's my final word. Class dismissed."

"See you later mate" Ron clapped Harry on the back and left with Hermione.

As soon as the classroom had cleared Slughorn came over to their desk "once you've cleared up you can tidy the potions cupboard, I'm getting sick of putting you two in detention!" he left swiftly, shutting the door behind him. Draco turned to Harry and snaked his arms round his waist and kissed him.

"You are a complete idiot, why did you pour them on the table?" The blonde laughed.

"Nobody told me they would jump around like that!" Harry exclaimed nearly smiling.

Draco shook his head "you make me laugh".

"How?"

"Shut up" he kissed him again and again, deeper each time. They pulled away and rested their foreheads against each other.

"We need to start clearing up then we can continue this." Harry whispered and winked; he turned and began to collect the broken glass that was scattered around the room.

OoOoOoOoOo

Hermione and Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table in the great hall opposite Ginny who smiled. "Where's Harry?"

"He got detention with Malfoy for dropping a pot of exploding beans" Hermione stated in her disappointed tone.

Ginny smirked and carried on eating.

When they had finished they wandered up to the common room and sat in their usual place and waited for Harry to come up.

"Hermione?" Ron muttered.

"Yes?" she looked up from her enormous book on the history of stunning spells.

"You wouldn't be able to help me with my Defence Against the Dark Arts essay would you?" he shuffled uneasily.

"By help do you mean do it for you?" she raise one eyebrow.

"No-of course not-I mean"

"Okay fine, but you owe me"

"Thanks Hermione, you're awesome. I'm going up now; I can't be bothered to wait for Harry. Night"

"Night" the girls called after him.

Hermione finished her chapter and then she too went to bed. Ginny stayed in the common room, trying to work out one of the puzzles in a muggle problem solving book that Hermione had got her for Christmas. She had managed to get about half way through, but they were beginning to prove extremely challenging.

She looked up when she heard the click of the portrait open and Harry stepped through. "You took your time" she kept her face straight.

"Yeah, had detention, sorry, was I supposed to meet you"

"I know you did. Did you have fun?" She smiled with one side of her mouth.

"Err, however fun detention can be..." Harry replied, trying to act oblivious to the fact she probably knew who it was with.

"Oh come of it Harry, what happened" She dragged him into a seat and laughed. "I know you had detention with Malfoy, and you know, I know the situation. So, what happened in those 3 long hours?" she dragged out the words and looked at Harry maliciously with a hint of comedy in her voice.

Harry's mouth twitched at a smile "nothing, we did the detention and then I came up here"

Ginny punched him lightly "fuck off! There's obviously more than that! Did you make out in the potions cupboard?" she teased.

Harry smiled and laughed "why do you need to know what happened in there. Shit" Harry realised his mistake.

"Oh, so what did happen in there? Did you have sex in the potions cupboard" she joked and burst into hysterics.

Harry got up "we don't have to discuss this" he was beginning to get uncomfortable.

"Oh my goodness. Shit, you actually did! I mean, I was joking but ha!" Ginny was crying with laughter "you fucked Malfoy in the potions cupboard!"

"Ginny shut up someone will hear you!" said an extremely embarrassed Harry as he clamped his hand over her mouth. She pried his fingers off and dropped her voice.

"You little slut!" Ginny was having a whale of a time.

"Right, goodnight Ginny" Harry stomped off.

"Night Harry! Have slutty dreams!" She sighed and wandered back into the dormitory to bed.

OoOooOoooOo

The pain in Draco's arm had worsened over the next week and unusual green lines of poison seemed to be travelling along the veins in his arm, up to his shoulder and down to his wrist. He tried to ignore it and keep it bandaged but it just wasn't working. Every now and then he'd go dizzy and have to sit down or lean against something until the moment passed. Luckily harry hadn't yet seen him like this, as he would have completely flipped out.

After dinner he went to the room of requirement to meet Harry, they sat talking on the sofa and Draco offered to go and get drinks from the kitchen that had appeared to the far left of the room. He stood up and his vision went black, he felt himself begin to sway. Just as he started to fall he felt arms lower him back to the sofa.

"Draco? Draco? Shit, are you okay? What happened?" Harry knelt next to him.

"I'm fine, just a head rush" he sat up slowly but turned his head and puked over the back of the sofa.

"You're not fine! Lie down" Harry held Draco's arm to help him, the branded arm. The blonde screamed causing his companion to let go in shock. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head fighting back a groan of pain "im fine, it's nothing".

"Draco, come on, it's not nothing let me see your arm" Harry held out his hand but Draco snatched his arm away. "Please. Let me help you".

Reluctantly Draco obeyed and let Harry roll up his shirt sleeve and slowly unwind the bandage revealing the worst wound he had ever seen. "Shit, what the hell happened to you?" Draco's arm looked awful, it was swollen double the normal size and was a dark blue-green colour the poison stretching all the way along his arm. "Please tell me this wasn't your father as well" Draco said nothing. "Bastard" Harry muttered. "Don't move, I'll be right back". Harry sprinted up to the Gryffindor common room and grabbed his invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map. He put his finger on the corridor where he saw Pansy Parkinson's name and went off to find her.

She gave him a filthy look when he reached her. "Don't ask questions just follow me" she did, Harry wasn't sure why but he didn't care. They slipped back into the Room of Requirement and Harry explained the situation.

"so, I need you to follow us but keep an eye out, Draco will be under the cloak but half of my arm is going to be missing so keep watch"

They shifted down the corridors to the entrance to the hospital wing where Pansy took Draco and Harry slipped under the cloak and followed them in. Madam Pomfrey saw then and hurried over, helping Pansy lower the semi conscious Slytherin onto one of the far beds. She took off Draco's shirt and gasped when she realised what was wrong with him. "What caused this?" she began inspecting the wound.

Pansy stuttered "erm, it's a brand, one from an iron that many purebloods use as a form of torture, it brands you but then poisons your skin with the amount of pain the word inscripted on your deserves."

"Who would use such a thing?" Pomfrey actually looked physically sick at the thought.

"Lucius Malfoy" Pansy said bluntly.

"Go and fetch Professor Dumbledore for me will your dear?" Pansy nodded and hurried off back through the wing and down the corridor.

Pomfrey poured a pain relief followed by a sleeping draught down the now unconscious blonde's throat and began to work on his arm. She drew out as much of the poison she could along the length of his arm but didn't go near the source.

Dumbledore and McGonagall came in hastily, led by Pansy, they stood around the hospital bed and Dumbledore inspected Draco's arm. "This is defiantly of Dark origins. I think Mr Malfoy had merely a month to live, if that."

"I have managed to stop the spread for the meantime and I'm going to try and extract as much poison as I can from the main wound" Poppy kindly smiled hopefully.

"As soon as you take the poison from the source, the poison will stop working and will heal quite nicely." Dumbledore pointed to the purple patch at the centre of the word.

"Keep working Poppy" McGonagall squeezed the matron's hand, smiled and followed the Headmaster back out of the hospital wing.

"Miss Parkinson would you be able to inform Professor Snape of the situation please dear"

Pansy nodded, looked once more at her friend, then left. Harry was sat under his cloak in the chair next to Draco where he had been since he came in. He watched Poppy work with fascination as she pulled 12 syringes of green liquid from the brand.

Eventually it was clear, Pomfrey covered it in a soothing paste and bandaged it, then rested Draco's arm across his chest and making him more comfortable. Then she left and drew the curtains around the bed. Harry pulled off the cloak and knelt next to the sleeping Slytherin resting his head on the edge of the bed. It must have been a good few hours before Harry woke up as he felt Draco stir, he looked up to see grey eyes trying to focus on him, Harry laughed and leant forward and kissed him hard.

"You're a prat" Harry whispered

"Thanks, it's nice to see you too!" Draco smiled and looked down at his arm frowning. "What happened?"

"You blacked out, me and pansy brought you here, I hid under the cloak, we've been here for six hours"

Draco's eyes widened "you sat here for six hours!"

Harry shrugged and nodded "well I couldn't exactly leave you; Dumbledore said you had a month to live if you hadn't got it sorted! On the subject of it, why the hell didn't you tell me?"

Draco shifted uncomfortably "I didn't want to worry you, anyway it's my problem"

"Not when you almost died!"

"Well, I'm still alive now aren't I?" Draco laughed and kissed Harry lightly.

A voice whispered from outside the curtains "Harry! Its Ginny, can I come in?"

Draco nodded and the raven haired wizard pulled her in. "you've been gone all evening! Its eleven thirty! Curfew was an hour ago; Hermione is fretting like a wild thing! Come on we've got to go back" She gestured to the door.

"Night" Harry whispered, kissing the blonde one more time and standing up to leave, he turned as he went out and Draco winked at him.

As they were walking back up to Gryffindor Ginny spoke "to be fair you make such a cute couple!" she giggled and received a shove.

"Fuck off!" Harry blushed.

"You do though!"

They laughed all the way up to the dorms and paused outside as they knew Harry was going to get a lecture.

"Ready?" Harry nodded and they pushed open the portrait.

"HARRY POTTER WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!" Hermione literally screamed at him.

"Out..." he muttered back at her.

"OUT? WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSSED TO MEAN?" She dropped her voice "with him I assume" she scowled.

"Yes as a matter of fact, now I'm going to bed, goodnight" Ron followed him up and Hermione just followed them with her eyes until they were out of sight.

Harry lay in bed and breathed deep, a sense of relief came over him and he fell asleep.

**What did you think? Stressed out yet? If so, im so sorry, im going to kill you in the upcoming chapters...**

**Please review 3 **

**xxx**


	8. A Vial of Purple Death

Chapter Eight- A Vial of Purple Death

OMG GUYS IM SORRY I HAVEN'T POSTED IN LITERALLY MONTHS! WELL THIS SHOULD MKE YOU DIE A LITTLE! ENJOY AND MORE SOON! REVIEWS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!

MM XXXX

* * *

Draco had been in the hospital wing for a couple of days and Harry had sat with him a large majority of each, when they weren't together they would use the pocket watches to talk. It was late evening and the Slytherin was drifting in and out of sleep.

"PST! Draco" Harry's head popped round the curtain "Happy one year Anniversary!"

Draco smiled and waved Harry in "I can't believe you've put up with me so long"

"Likewise" Harry laughed "come on, I've got something to show you, you're going to need to walk".

He wrapped the invisibility cloak around the two of them and they wandered along the empty corridors to the astronomy tower.

"Why on earth did you bring us up here?" Draco looked at him, puzzled.

"Look up there, that constellation is Draco, and in the middle of its chest is a star; its heart. That is our star and that is always where I'll be"

Draco turned to Harry, tears filling his eyes "I love you, that's amazing" They kissed under the stars, breathing heavy and keeping each other warm.

OooOoooo

Draco Malfoy walked alone down the hallways of Hogwarts towards the Slytherin Common Room when a hand gripped his shoulder and spun him around. Snape merely gestured to him to follow.

When they reached the potion master's office he spun round and stared at Draco. "arm." He snapped. Reluctantly Draco held out his branded arm, now covered in bandages. Snape saw that it was healed and dropped it. This puzzled Draco. "Well at least you aren't going to die from your father's stupidity. I don't know what he was thinking, this would kill you before you were able to complete your task, he could have waited a little, longer."

Snape turned and grabbed a small vial of Purple liquid from his shelf on the left of his desk. "I understand you already know what this is."

Draco nodded and flinched away from it.

"Excellent" Snape said, pausing half way through the word. "Well the night is approaching and you are soon to be needing to make, your, decision." He stopped what he was doing and looked at the boy "and I would advise you to make the right, one." He thrust the vial at Draco "now get out of my office". Draco nodded and scurried out and into the Slytherin dorms. He ran through the corridor and up to his private room as everyone in Slytherin in 6th and 7th year had their own rooms. He slammed the door and lay on his bed. He broke down and sobbed.

OoOoOooo

A couple of days later Harry Potter sat in Potions listening to Slughorn drone on while Draco was sat next to him and had been silent for nearly the entire lesson. When the lesson ended Harry received a weak smile from his companion before he rushed out the door.

He debated on following the blonde but settled for just sending him a message on the pocket watch when he got back to the common room.

'D are you okay?'

No reply

'Draco what's wrong'

No reply

'D please'

Harry sighed and put his head back on the back of the sofa. He felt a warming in his hand. 'Sorry, im fine, just got a massive headache, I've got a potion from Pomfrey though, im fine xx love you'

Harry didn't believe him but just thought he should let it pass. 'Okay, love you too xx'

Harry curled up and thought. Draco had been getting quieter the past few days, talking less. He looked sad all the time. He didn't always turn up at meal times or when they arranged to meet. Harry was beginning to worry; he wouldn't let this go on for much longer.

OooOoOOoo

Draco sat on his bed, he hadn't slept and his thoughts were so fucked up he couldn't decide if he was hungry or not. There was a knock on his door.

Pansy looked round "can I come in? There's a letter for you" Draco nodded and she pattered in, closing the door behind her. She handed him the letter which he pocketed. "What's wrong Draco? You aren't yourself; you haven't been for about a week, well actually since you got home from the holidays. Please talk to me"

He looked up at her "you can't help me Pansy. No one can. No one in this entire fucking world can help me. So be a dear and leave me alone".

Pansy looked quite taken aback as they shared everything with each other. "I'm going to tell Snape he might be able to help"

Draco snorted in amusement. "Don't bother; he's not going to help. You have no idea what's going to happen"

"Then tell me" she went to hold his hand.

"Get out Pansy! Go!" he yelled and she left swiftly, banging the door closed behind her, she always was one to strop.

Draco took out the letter and read it.

_Draco,_

_I understand that Severus has given you the potion already. Now all you need to do is to not be an idiot and make the right decision. Don't be a martyr Draco. Martyrs are forgotten, they are wastes and people just laugh at their stupidity and rashness to throw away their lives. Make the right choice but don't you dare then think you can simply walk back into this family and its inheritance, you are a dog of the lowest degree and you are no son of mine._

_So don't be an imbecile and start to re-earn your dignity._

_Lucius Malfoy_

Draco bit his lip and screwed up the note. He lay down on his bed and sobbed, more than he ever had before.

OoooooOoOo

The following morning commenced with potions in Slughorn's classroom. Draco smiled at Harry to reassure him he was alright, a smile was returned.

The professor began his usual lecture, which took a slightly different course towards the end. "This leads me on to Dark Potions"

Draco stiffened.

"One in particular I would like to talk about is called Purple Death"

This time Harry noticed Draco's changed body language, he cocked his head in a puzzled way looking at the blonde who avoided his eye contact.

"This potion needs two people; the drinker and the benefactor. The potion will drain the drinker of their life-force and the benefactor will absorb it and become practically invincible."

Draco's hand began to shake, he picked up his quill and scribbled to distract himself, Harry's eyes never left the blonde.

"once the drinker's life-force is fully removed, a purple coloured breath will come out of their mouth. This makes it one of the most dangerous potions known to wizarding kind."

At that Draco stood and ran out the room. Harry suppressed the urge to follow him out. Slughorn paused looking curiously to the door and continued.

"However its ingredients are scarce and the brewing is exceedingly advanced so it is not often used."

Once everyone had filed out at the end of the lesson Harry put Draco's stuff in his bag and slung it on his shoulder with his own. He was just about to leave when Slughorn stopped him. "Harry, make sure he's okay will you?"

Harry's eyed widened in shock. "w-why on earth would I want to do that sir!"

The old Slytherin smiled his eyes all knowing. "Come now Harry, nothing is hidden from me! Don't worry I won't tell a soul, very observant me, I can tell a couple when I see one"

Harry blushed slightly "thanks sir".

Harry rushed to the Room of Requirement with no luck. He saw Pansy Parkinson and persuaded her to get him into Slytherin. Harry slipped underneath the invisibility cloak and followed her. She showed him to Draco's room and left him there. Harry knocked.

"Pansy if that's you, you can fuck off!" a voice from inside said.

"Draco it's me, please let me in" there was a pause before the door clicked and opened. The Slytherin's eyes were red and he looked ill.

Harry walked in closing the door behind him and hugged Draco, pulling him into his chest and kissing his head.

"So are you going to tell what's been up with you recently?" Harry asked his eyes studying him.

Draco shook his head "Harry I'm fine, I just didn't feel well, im fine now see?" he wiped his eyes and pulled away from the Gryffindor who was most definitely not fooled.

"Bullshit Draco!" Harry sat on the bed "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's happened".

Silence.

Draco said nothing for at least 5 minutes. Then a sound made it out of his throat. "w-when" he stopped and shook his head.

Harry took his hand "come on D, its fine".

"Voldemort was there. At Christmas. He wanted to recruit me as a Deatheater, but I refused." He swallowed "so he used the cruciatus curse on me, and then found out about us."

Harry took a sharp intake of breath. "Shit". "So that's why, your father-"

Draco nodded.

"That doesn't explain potions today?"

"There's more." Draco walked over to the mantelpiece and picked up the vial with the potion Snape had given him.

"Is that? That's not..." Harry stuttered.

"Purple Death."

"Draco why the fuck do you have that!"

"It was, Voldemort, My father suggested it"

"Suggested what!"

"Well, I was given a choice, either I have to take you to Voldemort before 2nd of March or I have to take the potion on that night".

"Okay, so why haven't you taken me there yet, it's not a hard decision Draco!" Harry's eyes narrowed.

The blonde stammered slightly and shrugged, looking away.

"Oh fucking hell. You were going to take the potion weren't you?" Harry ran his hands through his hair and his boyfriend just looked at the floor.

"I couldn't take you to him! I know what he'd do!"

"So you were just going to kill yourself instead! Draco, I've fought him before I could have killed him! Even if it meant me dying too! Dumbledore would have protected you! You bloody idiot, my life doesn't matter. Yours does, you have a whole life to live! Im destined to kill or be killed by Voldemort!" he snatched the vial off Draco. "And you were going to take this! Fine if Voldemort wants me, he can have me!" Harry flicked off the cork and poured the potion into his mouth and swallowed it. Draco screamed.

Harry dropped the vial and collapsed, Draco caught him. "Harry, Harry, why the fuck did you do that you idiot! What do I do? I don't know what to do!"


	9. Voldemort, My Father, My Weakness

Chapter nine- Voldemort, My Father, My Weakness

**Hey everyone! So yeah thank you for the reviews that are so amazing! I love getting them so much! 3 so thanks to everyone who took the time to review ****im sorry for the current angst! (not *evil laugh*) but don't worry only a couple more chapters of it, depending on how mean im feeling! Don't worry! Good ending coming, i don't do sad endings...very often... only most of the time...(JOKING!)**

**Anyways, enjoy, feel sorry for Draco 'cus we love him 3 and don't hate Severus, he's only doing his duty **

**Please review love ya'll (if you see any mistakes yell at me, hopefully they're all gone. My computer likes to change Definitely to Defiantly for some absurd reason!)**

**Take care! Enjoy!**

**MM**

**xx**

* * *

Draco picked Harry up and threw the invisibility cloak over both of them, throwing open the door and ran to the hospital wing. As he came through the doors he shrugged the invisibility cloak off and ran to where Pomfrey stood. She turned around at the sound of footsteps. "Mr Malfoy! What an earth has gone on!" she gestured for him to put the limp body on one of the beds.

"He drank a vial of Purple Death but it wasn't intended for him so I don't know what will happen and"

"Wait a moment; I still don't understand why you of all people brought him here?"

"I know, it's weird, he's my friend, please just don't tell anyone who brought him here. Please."

Reluctantly she agreed and let Draco sit in the chair next to the bed underneath the cloak while she cast various enchantments over Harry before saying that she was going to find Dumbledore.

Draco slipped his hand under the covers and grasped Harry's. "You idiot. You absolute bloody fucking idiot".

Pomfrey returned with Dumbledore. She spoke slowly "as I told you he drunk a vial of Purple Death however it wasn't intended for him, I have put him in a stasis, but I think we need more expertise on the subject."

Dumbledore nodded "who brought him here?" he looked curiously to the empty chair and where the sheets lifted slightly.

"I shouldn't break confidence, especially given the circumstances, but it was Draco Malfoy. It was strange professor; he seemed concerned for Mr Potter"

Dumbledore nodded "you can come out now Draco, it's alright, come on"

Draco pulled the cloak off and stood up. "Professor, how did you know I was there? You can't see through it can you?!" he said with alarm.

"Alas no Draco, the green stripe on your cuff could be seen between the sheets and the cloak gave you away" the older man smiled then his face turned solemn "Draco I need to know why Harry took that potion"

Draco swallowed "it was meant to be me"

"I don't think I quite understand you"

"The potion was made for me to drink, not Harry, Voldemort being the benefactor" Draco fought against himself to stay steady.

"Then why Mr Malfoy did he drink it?"

"Because he didn't want me to drink it, Voldemort gave me a choice, hand Harry over or take this. Harry found out I wasn't going to hand him over so he drunk it and-" Draco turned away from them and tried to pull himself together.

"Thank you, Draco, sit down, we will take it from here" Dumbledore looked to Pomfrey "through this potion Voldemort has a connection with Mr Malfoy not Mr Potter which is why he isn't dead, but there is still a possibility that Mr Potter will never wake"

Draco sank to the chair and drew his knees up to his chest.

OoOoooOooO

When Hermione and Ron were called to the hospital wing Draco remained under the cloak sat on the chair next to Harry. They asked multiple questions on the manner of him being there but Pomfrey was on strict instruction from Dumbledore not to tell them too much. Hermione instantly put the blame on Harry's mystery 'friend', she told Ron and Ginny that he probably poisoned him as Harry couldn't even tell them his name. To this Ginny instantly defended the couple.

"Hermione im sure that isn't the case, I think you are over thinking this"

"Then where is this mysterious caring guy, that if he knew Harry was in this state surely he wouldn't have left his side!"

To this Draco smiled to himself as he sat under the cloak listening the conversation at the end of the hospital beds.

Eventually Hermione and Ron left to go to dinner but Ginny remained a while longer, Draco pulled the cloak of his head and made the youngest Weasley jump out of shock quite considerably.

"Draco Malfoy that wasn't funny!" her face formed a smile, Draco couldn't stop laughing. "Seriously how long have you been there?"

"Since I brought him in"

"What?" Ginny dropped her voice "you've been sat there since half nine this morning?" Draco nodded. "You've eaten though haven't you?" the blonde told her he hadn't. "You're going to make yourself ill! Go and eat something!"

"Im not leaving him." He held onto the arms of the chair.

"Oh for goodness sake, he's not going anywhere is he?" Draco remained unmoved. She gave in "fine! Wait there, im going to get you something to eat!"

Draco smiled in appreciation.

She left the wing as quickly as she returned with a plate of leftovers from that evening's buffet, "don't worry, they're not half chewed or anything, one of the house elves got it out of the fridge not the bin"

"Thanks. Why are you here? And why are you being nice to me? When have I ever been nice to you?" Draco picked up a pork pie and cut it into sections.

Ginny shrugged, "because Harry is as good as my brother and I care for him, he cares for you and at the minute none of us know what will happen so the least I can do is give you someone who you can talk to who understands the situation. Plus you're not actually that bad"

This made the Slytherin laugh. "Thanks, you're alright yourself". They sat there for a while, in light convocation until Ginny said she had to leave for curfew and that he should go soon too. But she knew he wouldn't do such a thing as leave Harry alone.

Just as Ginny was leaving Draco said "could you maybe stop Hermione blaming me for this, it kills me to think she thinks this is of my doing"

"Of course I will." She paused "Draco what did happen"

He went silent "Voldemort, my father and my weakness. Im sorry I can't tell you more".

She nodded in understanding and left. Draco clutched Harry's hand and fell asleep on the uncomfortable wooden chair.

OoOoOooo

The next morning was a Friday morning and still Draco did not leave. Around midday he heard the hospital wing doors fly open and he heard Dumbledore's voice. "Severus I wouldn't advise disturbing them, yesterday was a most trying day"

"I simply need to talk with young Mr Malfoy; he hasn't attended any class, mealtimes or curfew since yesterday"

Dumbledore nodded "don't pressurise the boy Severus" he left. Draco heard the dark man approach the screen, he hid the invisibility cloak and stood up as Snape came through the curtains.

"What. Happened?" he folded his arms and looked down on Draco who was sat in the wooden chair stiffly.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play games with me, I know who took the potion and I want to find out why Potter wasn't delivered to the dark lord."

"I was never going to take him there! I was going to take the potion, next week on the right day I was going to take it!"

"But your weakness has obviously proved you too feeble to do the right thing!"

"You have no idea of right and wrong!"

"But I know the difference between the decisions that keep you alive and the decisions, that, don't!" Snape half shouted.

"To hell with staying alive, I was making the only option I had! Harry's life is not mine to take, but my own is! And it is definitely of less importance!"

Snape pointed his finger subtly at Draco's face "I'd watch your step if I were you. As soon as your father and more importantly the dark lord find out what has been going on, your life will seem slightly, closer, to its, termination". With that he left, not pausing to pull the screen back around the bed. Draco shrunk into the chair, drawing his knees up to his chest; a position that had become exceedingly comforting to him and remained there, for a long time.


End file.
